What Goes on in a Pit Stop
Race car drivers try to outdo each other in the speedway, focusing on nothing but to be at the head of the line. However, intense engine abuse, fast speed, and extreme road conditions can take their toll on the car. Sooner or later in the race, the driver has to pull over to a pit stop.
The pit stop is the place where pit crews change tires, do mechanical adjustments, make emergency repairs, refuel the gas tank, and clean debris from vulnerable areas of the race car. This is also the place where the switching of drivers happens.
Take note though that the pit stop is not your ordinary repair stop. Crews have to do all the above activities in a very short period, usually about a few seconds, so the car can get back on the main track as soon as possible. That is why race car teams carefully plan schedules, called pit strategies, for each of their vehicles. They take into account the number of stops determined by the vehicle's fuel capacity, tire lifespan, and trade-off time used in the pit. Having an optimum pit strategy is extremely important for a successful race.
Aside from that, the team crew will have to study their competitors' pit strategies. That is because even in the pit, the race is still on! Their car may be "held up" behind their competitor's vehicle, preventing the driver from overtaking the latter's vehicle, which can ruin the chances of taking a winning place.
An unscheduled or extended stop is a crew's worst fear. This means that the car has suffered potentially serious mechanical trouble. Such stops usually take longer than usual because the crew has to diagnose the problem, potentially ruining the team's chance of success.